New passport and new life: SafetyDetectives portal explored the market for fake documents on the darknet

Purchasing a passport, driver's license and other necessary documents to start a new life in another country- We often see this in films and TV shows. But this happens in real life.

Credit card details are stolen every day,Email accounts, bank accounts, passports, PayPal accounts, and driver’s licenses. The reason is simple - a lack of basic knowledge of Internet security and a conscious neglect of the protection of personal data. Few people know that the whole industry is built on this in the darknet.

ForkLog Magazine publishes translation ofDarknet studies of SafetyDetectives. Experts found out the average cost of a package to create a new identity in economically developed countries and what is needed for this is fiat money or bitcoins.

The scope of the industry, parasitic on the theft of personal data, should convince anyone to learn the basics of ensuring personal safety and privacy on the Internet.

Disclaimer

This material is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an appeal for unlawful acts.

The manufacture and circulation of fake documents and money is prosecuted in accordance with the criminal law [Art. 327 and Art. 186 of the Criminal Code]

As a rule, people who need new documents are criminals on the run. However, with the same success it can be political or economic refugees,
fearing for their safety. What unites them is that they choose illegal tools to achieve their goals.

Darknet provides seekers with a new identityUnprecedented access to fake or stolen documents, including passports, driver’s licenses, birth certificates, bank accounts and diplomas.

It would seem that these things should be extremely expensive. But it turned out that this is not so.

SafetyDetectives researchers have visited several darknet markets where more than 50 sellers offer documents of economically attractive jurisdictions, both stolen and fake.

Noteworthy that the most commonTraders called fiat currencies a payment option, contrary to popular belief that bitcoins are needed for payments on the darknet. According to a recent survey, 30% of Americans think that of those who do not own digital assets.

However, for the purchase of certain documents and goodsshadow markets actually require BTC [the share of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in the revenue of illegal online markets does not exceed 1% — editor's note].
.

The minimum price of a new personality

In the package to start a new life, experts included three things:

identification documents: passport, identification card and birth certificate;
documents on education, including a certificate of secondary education and a bachelor's degree;
financial profile: bank account, credit card and 5 thousand fake fiat money of the relevant jurisdiction.

Please note that sold on darknetdocuments for identification are not of the same quality. Some passports are stolen from other citizens and remade under a new identity. Others are 100 percent fake, made on a fake blank. The same goes for fake money. There is no quality control on the darknet. And most importantly - it is completely illegal.

In addition, different types of identification cards are used in different countries. As a rule, a driver's license is used in this capacity, but there may be other options.

Under all these conditions, the average cost of the necessary documents and funds was $ 1300 + 0.26 BTC, or $ 3120 (BTC for $ 7000).

In different countries, the standard of living is different, and the price of forged documents depends on many factors, including the difficulty of obtaining them, the alleged source, authenticity, etc.

Here is the minimum cost of a new identity document package in increasing order:

USA - $ 1267 + 0.2683 BTC;
Europe - $ 1370 + 0.2593 BTC;
Canada - $ 1290 + 0.2683 BTC;
Great Britain - $ 1370 + 0.2861 BTC;
Australia - $ 1470 + 0.4292 BTC.

Passports

The average price of a passport on the darknet varies depending ondepending on the offer. Researchers have found that documents advertised as «registered» are «authentic» and «audited», demanded more money. There were also many passports marked as «fake» — they asked for significantly smaller amounts (up to $10). The report only considers those that are expected to be genuine.

Below is the average cost of such a passport of developed countries:

Australia - $ 745;
Canada - $ 745;
Europe - $ 750;
US - $ 850.

The cost of passports in European countries is heterogeneous. Although the average price of a European passport is $ 750, each country has its own, based on the previously mentioned factors.

Spain - $ 690;
France - $ 745;
Germany - $ 745;
Netherlands - $ 745;
Switzerland - $ 764;
Norway - $ 800.

ID / Social Security Card

The passport will provide only the opportunity to get intocountry, but in order to be considered a fully functioning member of society, you will need documentary evidence that he is a resident (or citizen).

Each country has its own specific forms.identification, but everyone uses a driver’s license as their primary ID card. Therefore, both documents are necessary for those wishing to obtain a new identity.

Birth certificate

This document is necessary to justify yourcitizenship by birth: to be able to prove the fact of birth in this country and that the name, date and place of birth correspond to the new identity. As is the case with real citizens, this is an important document when purchasing various public services.

Documents on education and qualifications

The key element of the new personality isfake general and professional education of a person. These documents help to start a new life - to create a completely new background with which you can already get a job and find a community.

Among the documents on education that you canto get on the darknet, there are diplomas of secondary education, bachelor's and master's degrees. A common service is also to correct poor grades and change the profile of academic performance.

Financial documents and services

Creating a new financial profile — Thisa popular service offered by many darknet markets. Anyone can update their financial status with new bank accounts, payment cards, credit scores, and even new PayPal accounts. Services that can be purchased on the dark web also include fixing bad credit scores or providing fake cash infusions in exchange for bitcoins.

All these solutions, again, come from a wide variety of sources. Some bank accounts are stolen, others are legal. However, it is impossible to be sure how genuine these things are.

Estimated cost of a new personality by country

USA

The cost of the minimum package for the country was $ 1267 plus 0.2683 BTC or $ 3145, taking into account the value of the cryptocurrency.

Identity Documents:

passport - from $ 710;
identification card / driver’s license - from $ 200;
social insurance card - $ 2-5;
birth certificate - from $ 240.

Documents of education (sold for bitcoins):

certificate of secondary education - 0.0715 BTC ($ 500);
Bachelor's degree - 0.0984 BTC ($ 689);
Master's degree - 0.152 BTC ($ 1064);

If someone wants to really get an education, then there is the opportunity for 0.618 BTC ($ 4326) to buy college entrance.

Correcting poor grades for college students costs between $ 1,200 and $ 3,750.

Creating a new financial profile:

bank account - from $ 70;
credit card - from $ 45;
PayPal account - from $ 125.

Fake $ 5,000 will cost 0.0984 BTC ($ 689). You can also fix your credit history, the service costs from $ 200.

Europe

The price of the minimum package for jurisdiction was $ 1370 plus 0.2593 BTC or $ 3185, taking into account the value of the cryptocurrency.

Identity Documents:

passport - from $ 600;
identification card / driver’s license - from $ 305;
birth certificate - from $ 220.

Education Documents:

certificate of secondary education - 0.0715 BTC ($ 500);
Bachelor's degree - 0.0984 BTC ($ 689);
Master's degree - 0.152 BTC ($ 1064);

Guaranteed college entrance costs 0.618 BTC ($ 4326).

Correcting poor grades for college students will cost from $ 1,200 to $ 3,750.

Creating a new financial profile:

bank account - from $ 70;
credit card - from $ 45;
PayPal account - from $ 125.

Fake 5,000 euros will cost 0.0894 BTC ($ 447), correcting a credit history - from $ 200.

The cost of fake education certificates is notdifferent from USA. However, this is true for Canada, Britain and Australia. The difference in packages between countries was determined by the prices of passports, ID-cards, birth certificates and the amount of counterfeit money.

Canada

The cost of the minimum package for the country was $ 1290 plus 0.2683 BTC or $ 3168.

Identification Documents:

passport - from $ 660;
identification card / driver’s license - from $ 275;
birth certificate - from $ 240.

5,000 Canadian dollars in counterfeit notes - 0.0984 BTC ($ 689).

Great Britain

The cost of the minimum package for the country was $ 1370 plus 0.2861 BTC or $ 3373.

Proof of identity:

passport - from $ 710;
identification card / driver’s license - from $ 305;
birth certificate - from $ 240.

5,000 fake pounds - 0.1162 BTC ($ 813).

Australia

The most expensive package of documents and services for creating a new identity from the studied countries - the minimum cost on the darknet is $ 1470 plus 0.04292 BTC or $ 4474.